Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

On the 'Badger State' campaign trail with Romney

Details

  • Description

    Mitt Romney on the state of his campaign, Tuesday's primary in Wisconsin and more

  • Duration 15:00
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest News

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- Romney and tomorrow is a big day for him here in Wisconsin we spoke the governor Romney a short time ago.

Nice to see especially my home state thanks Greta good to be here it's a first action done an interview amongst oil drums.

Yeah this is they have more oil company which is a distributor of oil products so happy to be here and hopefully we can get the price of this stuff down a bit.

Well as a good place to start them because lot of questions got asked that was about oil bring your town hall.

And did the present super Packers running an ad.

I'm against you saying that you -- pledged to protect the billions in profits of oil coming so I'm curious in light of the fact that gas prices are so high.

How do you explain or how to how does the government justify tax breaks when the big book -- -- yet.

Billions and billions of dollars in profits mean that's that's taken from us.

Well I think it's kind of abusing and actually troubling for the president of the United States to be looking for some of the blame.

-- lot of qualities that you look for a president blaming other people is not one of them.

He's the president of the United States.

He's the one responsible for energy policies and our country today and by virtue of his policies we've seen something which he predicted during his campaign.

He said was his energy policies energy prices with -- Iraq.

And frankly what he has done -- made it harder and harder for the small operators the drillers to get more oil more gas more coal.

To develop these American as sources of energy.

He's responsible in part from what we're seeing happen around the world which is people convinced that prices of oil -- gonna go up.

But is -- understood the part I'm not some of those of the middle got a but the the big guys the really big oil companies has look at the product it.

That of the profits -- make twenty billion dollars or thirty billion dollars of profit.

And that's a lot of profit because they get tax breaks and I've -- because every time they get tax break that means the rest of us somehow pay for it in directly.

And the president doesn't want them to get those big tax breaks do you support those.

Do you support -- -- -- You know I'm not sure precisely what big tax breaks for talking about but I I do know that the that right course for American.

Production generally -- of oil but of all things agriculture.

Machinery everything we make in this country is subject to the highest tax in the world.

Corporate taxes in America are the highest in the world and then there were various breaks and deductions and exemptions.

That certain industries have been able to win through lobbying over the years what I'd like to do is you get the tax rate down.

So were competitive with places like Europe for Pete's sakes.

Get the tax rates down and eliminate a lot of the deductions and the breaks -- the special deals that lot of different industries get and I look at them one by one.

There are there are just reams of -- let's simplify the tax code for our employers of all kinds particularly for small employers and get our tax.

Rate competitive with other nations so we'll keep jobs here rather than having him go elsewhere.

Lot of discussion about jobs in this campaign and I'm not gonna ask -- -- -- question about -- again no we stand up.

But you know it if you create jobs.

-- some -- order -- get shot has we have the least fill out an application built to read right.

The state of our education is country is so atrocious that a lot people who came -- fill out an application and there's been very little.

Discussion in this campaign so far on education he's do you do but education -- help.

Those people.

Well you -- it's a governor I had responsibility for education in my state.

And I followed some of the terrific governors and frankly some legislators as well that cared about getting our schools to be more competitive globally and to do the job they're supposed to be doing.

And we were able to drive our state to be number one of all fifty states in the nation.

And we did that by having more school choice.

More accountability and schools we tested our kids every year to see who was succeeded and failing in the classroom and -- particular school.

If a school was failing consistently the state was able to take over the school.

And also eliminate provisions that were in the union contract if they were deemed to be interfering with the education of a child.

We -- we implement an English Immersion in our schools sort kids were not taught bilingual or foreign languages first they were taught English.

So we were able to do things that made our schools more effective and I think you're gonna have to find across this country a recognition.

The teachers unions have to take a backseat.

To the interest of our kids and the parents and the localities.

I want schools to have the power to make these decisions the local level.

But I think the federal government camp player a role in standing up -- the federal teachers' unions.

Would you agree that the education system -- hit the skids in general.

I was in up the private schools and not and some of the public schools and some of the well fears the country but -- but a lot of our a lot of schools have hit the skids as result the kids have hit the skids.

-- I I think it's a mixed that picture and we're very very cities and and states in the country that better than others Florida for instance.

Under governor Jeb Bush was able to put in a series of school choice measures.

Measures to test that the quality of education for the children.

And and that had a big impact and drove their schools to be far better.

Than they had been part of these these policies being put in place in my state getting driven to be number one came as a result of school choice and testing.

And and higher rewards for fourth the students were doing particularly well.

On their tests.

In terms of getting scholarships for preschool laughter for college afterwards -- -- we know what works and education fighting is.

There's not a mystery about how to improve schools we know that what.

Drives the success of the student and a school this equality of teacher what happened our school system.

Well we we basically gave our school systems over to the teachers unions the teachers' unions are are by far the largest contributor to political campaigns they give almost exclusively.

The Democrats Democrats as a result feel beholden to do with the teachers union swaps swaps they had they get.

And they -- in some cases elect a mayor who -- -- across from -- -- the bargaining table and agrees to various provisions that frankly protect the teachers nothing wrong with that.

But don't put the kids in the interest of the kids first.

Leo when I talk I talk to teachers and ended the season they are truly -- to teach him in the system for whatever reason this is really broken.

Every teacher and that I knew whether the union or not he really wants to teach and we've got to do something about making our kids are young kids competitive so that you fill -- applications.

But it really hasn't gotten almost two I think in some -- some.

Catastrophic and some merits -- and some there's no question about it look at California -- system used to have some of the best schools in the country now ranked almost at the very bottom.

At and and what we've got to do in my view is make it more attractive for young people to go -- teaching.

We don't have the right starting salaries -- -- -- -- higher starting salaries for teachers and some of the benefits and -- tenure that we pylon at the end it and retiree benefits.

These things are designed to care for the the big players in the union movement but that take care of those that are coming into teaching.

We need to hire from the very best and brightest from our colleges and universities and we need them.

To have that the expertise in the subject they're gonna be teaching that that makes it a subject of interest for the kids they're going to be teaching.

Out in the unemployment rates -- and -- live discussion as as a noted about jobs.

But one of things it doesn't really get discussed right now is poverty.

And up poverty added there's the moral issue with poverty but also poverty is very expensive.

Whether it's a food stamps and food stamps have gone up about fourteen million since president Obama's become -- -- -- up during President Bush's.

Presidency as well -- it's keeps growing and growing growing but it really does send a message to Americans that were really not winning.

The a war on poverty it's getting worse that costs all of us.

Well there's no question but that this president has failed.

When it comes to caring for the American people.

As a results of for the president's policies in part we're saying.

-- higher degree of poverty record level of poverty 30%.

Of single moms are living in poverty in this country.

Record number of people 47 million people on on food stamps 2.3 million homes foreclosed upon the president's policies have failed his economic policy.

Has been a bust.

And the right course for the American people is to have an economy that's growing and putting people back to work.

But that there are those in the unemployment -- who are looking for a job in the eight point one or 2% where we are right now they're looking for work but there's and also a huge segment of our populations in despair that is not counted because they're not looking for work -- and a lot of me a fundamentally do -- -- -- some people are critical say the -- they don't want work -- But I actually believe that a lot who do want to work and they do wanna succeed and that they have sort of for whatever reason.

They haven't made the cut they've been left behind.

And I'm just thinking that.

You know in order for all of us to do well in the economy really don't need this expensive poverty that repaid when I'm curious -- -- -- why should.

What could you do to help lift those people up and get them involved well.

Again this is not a mystery you get people equal opportunity great schools terrific education so people have the skills to participate in the modern economy.

Number two if they needed help getting getting into the the labor force you give the job training and skills that allow them to be hired.

And -- -- the course you have to have an economy that wants to hire people -- looking to hire people.

We have an economy right now that's not creating the jobs that Americans need and want.

And part of that is because this administration has made America are less attractive place to start a business to grow a business.

Businesses today feel they're under attack because of this administration.

And you're not going to create jobs if ought to open doors decide not to start new businesses under this president.

The number of startups per year has dropped by a 100000.

Little businesses that normally employ people particularly -- the entry level just start starting up.

Larger businesses are moving operations outside this country because they feel in America by virtue of our taxation the highest in the world now.

The regulatory environment.

Our lack of energy policies to take advantage of her energy resources.

All of these features are causing businesses to go elsewhere they're killing jobs -- I always smile at my liberal friends.

They love a strong economy.

They -- businesses.

But the economy is nothing but the addition of all the businesses in the country together.

And you have to love enterprise small large middle size encourages develop it.

Government sees itself as the opponent a business it's gotta be key ally of enterprises of all kind.

And what we have right now is a growing government centered society government cannot create the jobs at the American people need to get out of poverty.

Have rising standards of living for middle income Americans that's what has to happen it's a new attitude that has to come to Washington.

I guess the so let's also looks like a trickle down you know that the that the economy gets going that also and those who are the lowest of Iran economically that they -- some how do better.

An and I haven't heard anything since Jack -- days it's sort of like the enterprise zones where it's actually much more active rather sort of just hoping to rev up the economy look at the -- but actually don't go in dig into these areas.

And have enterprise zones -- and get them wrapped up.

Well you know the lots of ways to say how can we manipulate that that the the market.

And how to do -- you've seen President Obama saying I'm gonna give 500 million dollars to Solyndra that'll get things going.

I'm I'm much more inclined to say let's make America the best place for small business.

Let's make it easy to start a business let's make it easier to get alone.

For a small business let's make it easier to hire people give people greater visibility and what the cost of but about -- will be.

You do that and people be able to get had a great jobs and we can encourage and certain sectors of the the economy places for for job growth I was.

At least in my state to take an area where where a military plan -- -- removed and we said let's so let's do our very best to get some jobs to move into those areas.

You you can have policies state by state which are trying to focus on and creating economic empowerment zones.

But the right thing for the nation overall.

Is to be competitive on taxes to have regulations that encourage enterprise is supposed to crush it.

To have energy policies that take advantage of our natural resources in this country and keep energy prices down or competitive.

To have trade policies that open up new markets for our goods and also cracked down on cheaters including China if they're gonna steal.

Our intellectual property -- patents -- know how hack into our computers what we've got to make America attractive for small business those 100000.

New jobs he got a thousand new employers -- year they make a difference in putting people at every run and then the economic letter back to work.

What's the difference between.

Running a business.

And run in a stake if -- governor mean like we know what do they mean.

Yeah you get to say a little bit more to run a business found and you get to do you have run into more -- -- I'm curious how.

Where that we -- what's the more difficult part about government.

Well actually the more difficult job is working and business because businesses is not forgiving.

It if you spend more than you take -- year after year you're gonna be out of business if you make serious strategic errors you're gonna be gone.

Government quiet just -- more money in taxes more people blames the opposition party -- what the people in business or -- -- the harder job.

People in government you have to learn to work with other folks people always think oh if you're the head of a company you don't need to work with with others you can just make all the decisions on your own.

That's so got shareholders he got bankers get competitors get customers you have to listen to others.

And my experience is if you're -- business -- fiscal conservative.

You know you've got to balance your books we need more people from the real economy.

To go in the government and the use their skill at learning how to did did.

Live with it within an economic framework to hold down spending and not to borrow more than that you're -- and.

-- question pres Obama today talking about the health care said.

That an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constant pass law well it's a good example is time but judicial activism.

Your thoughts of calling his remark about it's much broader showed -- the longer quote but -- Supreme Court unelected group looking at the health care law.

Isn't this wonderful to finally have a liberal talking about judicial activism that we can come together on this we've been concerned but judicial activism for years and years and years.

What the president's complaining about however it's at the Supreme Court might actually apply the constitution.

To the -- that he passed.

And and that the whole purpose of the Supreme Court is to make sure that congress does not pass laws that are in violation of the public the constitution.

And and so judicial activism is not following the constitution.

Judicial activism is departing from the constitution which is what they too often done on issue after issue I applaud the fact that the Supreme Court.

Looks to be taking the responsibility of following the constitution.

Seriously.

And if the president come complains about a Supreme Court that follows the constitution.

He's coming from a very different world than the world that the idea that the founders and frankly that that the judicial history has has described for America.

Load More